Knox College - Green Oaks Field Station

Pursuing the Living Building Challenge

Knox College - Green Oaks Field Station

Galesburg, Illinois

Christner led an integrated team to design a new field station at the Green Oaks Station, a long-standing learning, ecology and biology initiative of Knox College. The vision of the new field station is to “exhibit the best of generative stewardship, building living and learning in ways that engage, captivate and challenge all those who experience it.”

The 700-acre field station encompasses a restored tall grass prairie, old-growth and second-growth forest, streams, and a strip-pit lake. The building program includes a classroom/laboratory and community building and two residence halls. Designers analyzed three potential sites and selected one along the lake that engages both lake and prairie views, preserves old growth forest, and harnesses prevailing winds and solar energy.

The project will pursue the Living Building Challenge (3.0), along with potential LEED Platinum certification.